Method of cementing soles



Aug. 8, 1933. c. A. HILL METHOD OF CEMENTING SOLES Filed Nov. 30, 1931 mmm Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES METHOD OF CEMENTING SOLES Chester A. Hill, Brockton, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a Corporation of New Jersey Application November 30, 1931 Serial No. 578,025

8 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of preparing soles for permanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement. In its illustrated embodiment it is particularly concerned with that step in the preparation of a sole comprising the application to the sole of the cement by means of which the sole is to be ultimately secured to the upper of a lasted shoe.

In the making of shoes in which the soles are to be attached permanently to the uppers by means of cement, it is common practice to apply cement, usually of the pyroxylin type, to the margin of the sole and to allow it to dry, to apply cement to the margin of the bottom portion of the lasted shoe and to allow it to dry, and then to apply a softener or solvent to one or both of these coatings of cement in order to activate the cement and enable adhesion as the sole and shoe are brought together in the sole attaching machine where the sole is to be applied to the shoe with considerable pressure. Difficulty has been experienced because of the so-called squeezeout of cement, especially around the edges of the forepart of the shoe. This squeezing out of the cement under the considerable pressure applied to the sole in the attaching machine is very harmful in the finished product, largely because of the character of the cement which is used and the inherent diiiiculty in cleaning such cement from the shoe so that it will not be seen on the article to be sold. The alternative of applying less cement to reduce the squeeze-out is not effective because of the danger of imperfect adhesion of the sole to the shoe. It has been suggested, therefore, that improved results "can be obtained by providing a narrow uncoated or bare margin around part or all of the cemented area of the shoe at the outer edge of the stripe of cement. This margin may be bare either'by reason of the removal of a portion of the cement previously applied or because of the fact that no cement was applied originally to this area. This substantially alleviates the difliculty as far as the forepart of the sole is concerned, but if carried into the shank portion of the shoe introduces another difiiculty.

This so-called cement process of making shoes is utilized extensively in the manufacture of womens shoes as to which there is a desire to have a close fitting shank portion and a narrow edge in the forepart of the shoe. In obtaining this result it is customary to reduce the forepart margin slightly and to skive the shank portion even more radically It will be remembered, however, that in the shank portion the sole overlies a metal shank, so that in obtaining the desired effect there is a substantial arching of the shank portion of the sole, leaving the central portion of the shank of the sole Wholly separated from the insole by this metal shank and fre- 6 quently leaving only narrow marginal portions of the sole to contact with the upper. It is necessary to depend, therefore, upon a greatly reduced area of contact along the shank portion of the sole for the purpose of holding the sole on the shoe. If the outer margin has been left uncoated, the area of adhesion is still further reduced. This difficulty of securing strong adhesion in the shank portion is further aggravated by the fact that the reduction of the shank portion of the sole leaves the thickened central portion directly over the metal shank piece and requires even greater arching of the sole to bring the edges into contact with the upper of the shoe.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provide an improved method of preparing outersoles which substantially eliminates the danger of squeeze-out While at the same time the strength and permanency of adhesion of the sole to the shoe is increased. One characteristic of the invention resides in applying a band of cement progressively around a sole, positioning this band as it is applied along one predetermined portion of the sole such as the shank portion of the sole close to the edge and preferably to extend all the Way to the edge of the sole, and positioning the band as it is applied around another predetermined portion such as the forepart of the sole to space the outer edge of the band from the edge of the sole by a definite uncemented margin.

In another aspect the invention consists in applying cement progressively to a sole and in relatively guiding the sole and the applying means with respect to one another to position the stripe upon the shank portion of the sole flush with the edge thereof While around the forepart of the sole it is spaced from the edge by a definite margin. In one mode, of practising the invention the sole is moved past a cement-applying device which puts on a band of cement of predetermined width progressively around the margin'of the sole, and the sole is shifted laterally of the direction of forward movement to bring the band of cement flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and spaced from the edge of the sole at the forepart portion.

In a modified manner of practising the method of the invention, the relative movement between the edge of the sole and the cement applying device may be effected by moving the cement applying device laterally during the progress of the work as the latter is held against a fixed gage member.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically the application of cement progressively around the margin of the sole;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1 through the shank portion of a sole after the sole has been attached to a shoe permanently by means of adhesive; and

Fig. 3 is a similar section through the forepart of the sole attached to a shoe.

The application of cement to the sole 10 upon the flesh surface 12 thereof may be effected in any desired fashion, as for example by moving the sole progressively past a cement applying means 14. and guiding the sole by a gage 16. This gage, if desired, may be provided with a supporting, ledge 18 underlying the margin of the sole. The sole is presented to the applying means at a point adjacent to the heel end of the sole and relative movement is produced between the sole and the applying means 14, as by moving the sole, to apply a band of cement 20 which, along the shank portion 22, extends all the way out to the edge of the sole. As the forepart 24 of the sole is approached, a lateral shifting between the cement applying means and the sole transversely of the direction of forward movement takes place so that the stripe of cement 2 0 is spaced from the edge of the sole by a narrow, uncemented margin 26, thus avoiding the dangers of squeeze-out in the forepart of the completed shoe.

It will be understood that the sole may be moved with respect to the applying means to produce this lateral shifting, as for example by causing an in-and-out movement of the gage l6 as the band of cement is applied. If desired, the gage may be kept stationary and the applying means 14 shifted laterally to produce the same effect. It will be understood also that the method contemplates the possibility of moving the cement applying means 14 with respect to the sole as the latter is held stationary and in so guiding the cement applying means that the band of cement is flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and is separated therefrom at the forepart portion.

When the sole 10 is attached to the upper 30 of a shoe supported on a last 32 andhaving an insole 33, then, even if only the reduced edge portions 34 of the shank portion 22 of the sole come in contact with the upper 30, the band of cement 20 will be in a position where it will be most effective and will secure the sole permanently to the shoe. Danger of squeeze-out of cement at this portion of the shoe is avoided by reason of the arched position of the sole and the resulting space provided between the sole, the edges of the upper and the metal shank 36, toward which the cement will be pushed if there is any surplus which is displaced laterally by the pressure applied in attaching the sole, Quite obviously the eifect of the metal shank 36 is accentuated by reason of the fact that the thickest portion 37 of the sole is directly above this metal shank and further by the fact that the skiving is done on the flesh side, requiring even further bending of the grain side. Around the forepart 24 of the shoe with its reduced marginal portion to which the band of cement 20 has been applied, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

where the sole contacts uniformily with the bottom of the shoe 30 over the greater portion of its width, it is desirable to have the band of cement 2O spaced from the edge of the sole so that any squeeze-out which may occur will spread only over the uncoated margin 26 and prevent surplus cement from reaching a visible portion of the work where it will do any harm in the finished shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That method of applying cement to the flesh surface of a sole which is to be permanently attached to the upper of a lasted shoe by means of cement, which consists in applying the cement in a band progressively around the sole, positioning this band as the cement is applied along th Shank portion of the sole to extend all the way to the edge of the sole, and positioning the band as the cement is applied around the forepart of the sole to space the edge of the band from the edge of the sole by a definite uncemented margin.

2. That improvement in the preparation of soles for permanent attachment to the uppers of lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in applying cement progressively to a sole in the form of a stripe of predetermined width, and in relatively so guiding the sole with respect to the applying means as to position the stripe upon the shank portion of the sole flush with the edge thereof and upon the forepart of the sole spaced from the edge by a definite margin.

3. That improvement in methods of preparing soles for premanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in applying a band of cement on the sole progressively, while shifting the sole with respect to the cement applying means to bring the band flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and spaced from the edge of the sole at the forepart.

4. That improvement in methods of preparing soles for permanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in presenting a sole to cement applying means arranged to apply a band of cement, moving the sole progressively past the cement applying means, and shifting the sole laterally of the direction of forward movement to bring the band of cement flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and spaced from the edge of the sole at the fore-part thereof.

5. That improvement in methods of preparing soles for permanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in presenting a sole to cement applying means arranged to apply a band of cement progressively around the margin of the sole, causing relative movement between the applying means and the sole to effect said application of cement, and relatively shifting the sole and the applying means laterally of the direction of forward movement to bring the band of cement flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and spaced from the edge of the sole at the forepart thereof.

6. That improvement in methods of preparing soles for permanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in presenting a sole to cement applying means arranged to apply a band of cement, moving the sole progressively past the cement applying means, guiding the sole by a relatively fixed gage, and shifting the applying means laterally of the direction of forward movement to bring the band of cement flush with the edge of the sole at the shank portion and spaced from the edge of the sole at the forepart.

'7. That improvement in methods of preparing soles for permanent attachment to lasted shoes by means of cement, which consists in presenting a sole to cement applying means arranged to apply a band of cement, guiding said sole by means of a gage, and relatively shifting the gage and the applying means laterally of the direction of forward movement to bring the band of cement flush with the edge of the sole tion of the sole spaced from the edge by a I defined margin.

CHESTER A. HILL. 

